


the general and the handyman

by tsonis



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 04:06:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6737539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsonis/pseuds/tsonis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sturges may or may not have a giant crush on the General that he believes isn't reciprocated. Boy, was he wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the general and the handyman

**Author's Note:**

> cw includes alcohol, so please read ahead with caution.
> 
> written for a prompt fill on fkm, the prompt wanted m!sosu and sturges, mutual pining, the awkward bedroom bit + an end relationship, i also threw in some cait/curie because i will insert femslash into anything, you cannot stop me. couldn't resist filling this in between finishing up "us".
> 
> beta'd by my ghoulfriend kathleen, i love her to death and back.

Sturges—as Jun had pointed out before the entirety of their lives went ass over tea kettle—had a type. Something about tall, dark, and caring just got his motor running. Pun intended. But, with that being said, between dodging bullets and arguments alike, as well as the fear that homophobia was still alive and well in post-nuclear America kept his wandering eyes fixed on the broken concrete.

And, it just so happened that the General matched all of his requirements. At a staggering 6’7, the General just happened to be the kindest and most charming man Sturges had ever met. He also made a mean callaloo with what limited ingredients were available in the rubble around them. The General also had the deepest and smoothest voice, whether he was speaking English or Trinidadian Creole with Preston, which resulted in almost ritualistic cold-shower taking. 

Despite this, though, Struges never really felt comfortable making any move on him; partly due to the General’s nervous habitat of twisting his wedding band, or how Preston and him seemed to have a bond that was well past the brotherly mark.

So, sue him, maybe he resigned himself to a lonely existence comprised of tinkering on Sanctuary’s many turrets, and occasionally Codsworth when required, but it was for the best. Or at least that’s what he told himself.

\--

It was a Thursday when the General had wandered back into Sanctuary with a smiling, buff lady in tow. The two of them were laughing obnoxiously loud at a time that the only noise should be Codsworth’s soft puttering or Jun’s infrequent snoring.

Sturges grumbled, scrunching up his face and turning on the shitty little mattress that had one evil little spring that kept poking him in his lower back. He hoped the change in direction would at least muffle their laughter and hushed whispering. In fact, it just allowed the noise to flow even better into his ear.

“So, when are you gonna tell him, Kai?” The woman drawled, accent almost as thick as the slur in her words.

“I haven’t even told him my name yet, Cait. Every time I try to go do it I just blurt out something about Codsworth needing an upgrade before running away.”

“Are you serious? This coming from the man who managed to literally charm a deathclaw into not mauling him to death cannot even tell a bloody handyman his name?”

The General—Kai—hissed, and the sound of a scuffle ensued. “Okay, okay, I yield. Just quit it with the back chat.”

Cait humphed with an air of smugness. “Look, I think you should just man up and tell him.”

“Just so he can say no and I can be forever humiliated? I’ll tell you what, you manage to even get a full sentence out to Curie without stuttering and turning redder than Hancock’s coat and I’ll at least tell him my name.”

“Fine. But if I hear you have weaseled your way out of it we’ll be having some words, mister.” 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Kai crowed. “Now, take me back to our house before I pass out right here and you have to carry me back. Again.”

“Aye, aye General,” Cait bit out, amusement lacing her every word.

\--

It was another week before Kai had even approached him, the Thursday night conversation had been playing in his head for the entirety of his absence. 

“So, Sturges,” he began, smile playing confidently on his face despite his wavering voice. “It has occurred to me that I never actually told you my name.” 

Sturges raised a thick brow, barely even glancing up from where he was fixing an old, pre-war car motor. “It just occurred to you, huh? You didn’t find it necessary to say anything for an entire year?”

Kai coughed, shuffling awkwardly from foot to foot. “Well, it, uh, was a pretty hectic year. I had to balance building settlements and the entirety of Boston seemed to throw all their issues at me.”

“So all those times you had stopped by to tell me this needed fixing, or to ask if I needed supplies it never came up? You didn’t even think to tell me then?” Sturges’ brows furrowed, and he set down his screwdriver a little harder than necessary. A small part of him felt guilty at how Kai had jumped at the sound.

“I,” Kai swallowed roughly, throat bobbing with the movement. Not that Sturges was looking or anything. “I’m sorry.”

Sturges snorted, tearing his eyes away from Kai’s to look back down at his motor, despite the fact he’d been stuck on the same issue for the past half an hour. 

“It is Kai, by the way. My name is Kai.” Kai mumbled, before placing his cap on his head and striding out of the makeshift garage. 

Sturges exhaled roughly, physically deflating at the defeated tone. It wasn’t really his fault at all. He had a right to be at least a little irritated that Kai had never even thought it important to tell him his name in over twelve months.

“I-I agree with you,” Jun piped up, muttering an apology at how Sturges fell off his stool at the sudden interruption in his internal monologue. “He should’ve told any of us, especially you, his name.”

“What do you mean especially me?”

“We all heard that Thursday morning conversation. These scrap metal walls are extremely thin, after all.” Sturges’ cheeks heated and he refused to meet Jun’s eye. “Look, you shouldn’t feel ashamed of what you feel, neither should he. You love who you love, and we are friends regardless of you being with a man or not.”

Jun looked incredibly uncomfortable at even bringing this up, but Sturges felt a flood of relief at how one of his closest friend’s was a decent person. “That, means a lot to me. Also, if you could keep it between us for now that’d be nice.”

“No, uh, yeah of course. My lips are sealed.” Jun mimed zipping his lips shut, and Sturges’ lips twitched into a tentative smile.

“I should get back to work.”

“So should I, those gourds aren’t going to harvest themselves after all.” Jun smiled weakly before waving at him and trotting off to where Marcy was carefully picking corn from its stalks.

Yeah, he figured, he’d be okay. 

\--

“Sir! You have returned!” Codsworth practically chirped as Kai returned to Sanctuary, the bot did a few excited circles before coming to a halt in front of the man.

“Hey Codsworth, how have you been holding up?” Kai smiled, rubbing an affectionate hand over the sleek chrome of Codsworth’s main body.

“Excellent, sir, despite your dog still believing I am nothing but an over-polished chew toy.” Codsworth sounded extremely put out, his metallic feathers ruffled at the canine’s very rude behaviour.

Kai snorted, nudging Codsworth with his shoulder before taking off in the direction of Sturges’ garage. “Is Sturges in?”

“Ah, the last time I saw of him was helping Mama Murphy move some furniture around her dwelling. Might I inquire just why you are looking for him?” He sounded much too smug for Kai’s liking, and he was—for once—very glad that Codsworth didn’t have a face to actually make a shit-eating expression on.

“Codsworth,” Kai’s voice took on an uncharacteristically serious tone. “I love you, and you have done nothing wrong in your life, ever, but I will let Dogmeat render you a floating orb if you ever let out this secret.”

Codsworth let out a scandalised noise, flinching back a few feet. “Sir! I would… I would never!”

“Good. Also, thank you for your help.”

“I hope I will get a wedding invitation.” Codsworth called after him, a sharp metallic laugh ringing off before he took off across the grass and away from the stunned general.

Kai smoothed over his hair, shooting an amused-looking Cait a glare that she happily returned with her middle finger. To hell with Cait and her tooth-rotting relationship with Curie, he didn’t need her judgement when she still blushed whenever Curie twined their fingers together on their nightly walks.

With a nervous clearing of his throat, he quickly strode over to Murphy’s house, barely regaining his balance from almost tripping over a stray piece of rebar, to where a very sweaty looking Sturges was trying to escape the knowing eye of Mama Murphy.

“Oh, Kai!” Murphy crowed, eyes glinting with deviousness that set Kai’s jaw. “So good of you to join us, I was just asking Sturges if he’d like to stay for dinner. I’m making macaroni pie tonight.”

“You are an evil, devious woman, but I will have to eat dinner with you for the pie.” 

Sturges raised a brow at Kai, wilting under the soul-cutting stare Murphy leveled at him. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to eat dinner with you,” he hedged, boot tapping awkwardly against the door frame.

Mama looked pleased with herself, ushering them inside with a sweep of her hand. “Come in boys, sit down and I’ll bring your plates.”

The air was full of tension as they sat across from each other at the dirty dining table. Their knees bumped awkwardly underneath, and Kai cleared his throat. 

“How are you?” Kai asked, wincing at the question as soon as it left his mouth.

“Fine, pretty busy repairing the turrets after the mutant attack, though.”

“Nice, nice.” He trailed off. “Look, about the name fiasco, I just wanna say I’m sorry. It was a pretty bad thing of me to do especially since we are pretty good friends.”

Sturges’ stomach dropped, yet his face remained carefully blank. “Friends, yeah. No worries, Kai.”

“See, you say that and I feel like it is anything but.” He sighed, pinching the bridge of nose. “I have no right to feel defensive. I just wanted to say sorry. I want us to go back to normal.”

 _You mean awkwardly dancing around a mutual pining_ , Sturges thought. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Cool. Awesome.”

Murphy cleared her throat, causing the two to jump and break eye contact almost guiltily. “Here it is, wasteland macaroni pie. Enjoy.” 

“Thanks,” they mumbled in unison before digging into their meal without further prompting. 

After the two had parted ways on better terms, and the dishes were scrubbed and cleaned, Codsworth drifted in with Dogmeat close on his tail.

“So, did things at least somewhat improve?” 

Murphy scoffed, nursing a small glass of purified water. “Of course, what do you take me for?” 

“Nothing short of a miracle worker, I assure you,” Codsworth supplied drily, letting out a sigh as Murphy offered Dogmeat a small chunk of deathclaw jerky. 

“You should get out of here before people get suspicious,” Murphy bent to run her wrinkled hand over Dogmeat’s glossy coat. “No, not you, you can stay. You are always welcome.”

If Codsworth had eyes, he would be rolling them. But, with all the grace of a Mister Handy butler could possess, he made his exit into the dimly lit streets of Sanctuary hoping that, sometime before his unit malfunctioned, the two would stop being so stubborn and admit their feelings for each other.

\--

It wasn’t his brightest idea by any longshot, but if he didn’t at least move an inch forward with Kai he was going to lose whatever sense of calm Jun provided him with. He snuggled deeper into the sheets that smelled exactly like Kai; sweat, gunpowder, leather, and a hint of mint. How he managed to get mint in the wastes, Sturges would never know, but the shock of freshness was much appreciated against the bare skin of his chest. 

His nipples pebbled, whether at the crispness of the night air or the knowledge that he was currently in Kai’s bed without the man’s knowing. A part of him worried about what would happen when… if Kai would be back in the morning to find him passed out amongst the unfairly soft blankets and well-stuffed pillows. 

His hand drifted over to where the bottle of whiskey lay titled against the dresser, fumbling with the bottle’s cap before bringing it to his lip. His nose scrunched at the burning warmth of it, but the wave of calm brought over him was worth the sting of it. 

“I wish you were here,” Sturges muttered, lips pressing against the mouth of the bottle with each word. “Mostly because I am now accustomed to the opulence of this king-sized bed and the lack of pokey-springs.” He let out of laugh, the sudden movement causing whiskey to slosh out and onto his chin and dribble down onto his chest.

The returning all-encompassing silence caused his stomach to drop, eyes to sting, and throat to tighten. “I know you like me, though. I’m your bloody handyman.” His imitation of Cait caused another fit of laughter to escape him before he sobered up and gently settled the whiskey bottle on the dresser. 

“I’m your bloody handymen,” he murmured into the pillows, squirming around for a few more seconds before dropping off into a deep sleep.

\--

He awoke how he would hope was graceful—but was really a choked snore and a sleep-thick ‘what’—to a feather-light touch trailing along the curve of his back. 

“Hey, sleepy head, it’s nice of you to wake up,” a soft voice murmured close to his ear. Kai’s voice.

A flush of warmth ran through him at the realisation, and a shiver ran down his body. “Uh, hi.”

“You like my bed, huh? I don’t really blame you, all this stuff was scrounged from some rich person’s house.” 

“I do like the sheets and pillows…” he trailed off, refusing to raise his head from where it was buried in the pillows. Partly due to headache that would worsen in the light, but mostly to the fear of what he would see on Kai’s face.

“But?”

“I like it ‘cause it’s yours.”

Kai made a thoughtful noise, and the hand trailing against his back settled to spread at his lower back. “I like you in my bed too, if we are being truthful here.”

“Oh yeah?” Sturges’ heart kicked up a few paces, and he finally flipped over to look at Kai; in the soft light of the morning he looked ethereal and untouchable, a sort of beauty Sturges would wax poetic about if he was that sort of person.

“Mmm,” Kai rumbled, leaning over to brush his lips against Sturges’ forehead. “Yeah, I do.” 

“Is this your way of asking me out?”

“That depends, is it working?”

“I’d have to say, the incentive of being able to sleep in a bed as soft as this is really sweetening the deal.”

Kai snorted and bumped their noses together. “I think this is your cue to kiss me.”

“I think so to,” Sturges murmured before slotting their lips together.

A sigh of contentment passed Sturges’ lips as they parted and rested their foreheads together. Yeah, he figured, they’d be okay.

 

+Bonus

“I knew it would happen,” Cait murmured, lips pressed against Curie’s cheek.

“While I love to talk about something that is definitely not our business,” Curie began, hand resting against Cait’s cheek. “I also would love to sleep since we have a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

“Especially now since those two are shucking work so they can shuck each other.”

Curie let out a startled gasp, before gently placing a hand over Cait’s mouth. “Please.”

Cait pressed a soft kiss to Curie’s palm before relenting with a shrug of her shoulders. With a soft smile, Curie removed her hand and flipped over so Cait could spoon her properly. 

“Thank you. Goodnight, darling, I love you.”

Curie could feel the rush of heat against her shoulder from where Cait had her cheek pressed. “Love you too.”


End file.
